


A Bet's a Bet

by TiyeTiye



Series: Ivar and Lisbet - 1920's AU [2]
Category: Keep Your Silence, Vikings - Fandom
Genre: 1920's AU, And a bit like apples, Because of course he did, F/M, Ivar brought witnesses, Ivar is also HELLA SOUTHERN, Lisbet lost a bet, Moonshine, Prohibition AU, Tastes like God ripping your throat out, bootlegger au, in case that wasn't clear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 13:30:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14356494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiyeTiye/pseuds/TiyeTiye
Summary: After losing a bet with Ivar, Lisbet has to face the uncomfortable consequences.





	A Bet's a Bet

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Keep Your Silence](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10732503) by [livebynight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/livebynight/pseuds/livebynight). 



Lisbet eyes the crystal glass on the table in front of her with wary eyes, as though it might decide to jump up and bite her at any moment.

“I can’t believe you actually drink that stuff on purpose,” she says.

“Damn right!” says Ubbe, grinning wickedly.

Floki giggles. “Most of the time.”

“Do I _have to_  do the double?” Lisbet whines, looking up at the man seated across from her with desperate eyes. “Can’t I just have the one?”

“Sorry darlin’,” Ivar says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “But a deal’s a deal. And you lost the bet.”

“What if I do one shot, and then do another?” she asks, still trying to find a way to wiggle out of this.

“That would just make it worse,” Hvitserk says. “ _Trust me._ ”

They’re seated in the back room of Judy’s, a nightclub that the Lothbroks just happened to have “bought” from Ecbert just days before his “untimely death,” Lisbet on one side of the dark mahogany table with Floki, Ivar, Ubbe, and Hvitserk seated across from her, like a prisoner brought before a jury. The glass sitting alone on the table between them is filled with a double shot of the Lothbrok family’s signature apple-flavored moonshine and Lisbet’s been staring at it for the past five minutes, telling herself that there’s no way that burning feeling in her nose could be coming from such a small amount of alcohol sitting so far away.

“Well Lisbet?” Ivar says, sitting forward and folding his hands in front of him like some sort of schoolteacher.

Lisbet grits her teeth. “I hate you so much right now.”

Ivar grins and shrugs. “I can live with that.” He reaches out and nudges the glass until it’s right in front of her. “Go on now.”

“Did you  _have to_  bring them?” she asks, gesturing to Ubbe, Hvitserk, and Floki.

“Oh no Chickadee, they  _wanted_  to come. Heard your Royal Giants didn’t  _quite_ score as many runs as my Senators this week, and they wanted to see the ah— _results_  for themselves.”

“Of course they did.”

“Come on now Lis, you can do it.” Ubbe says, trying to cheer her on. “It’s really not that bad once you get used to it. Tastes pretty good.”

“ _Sure_  it does,” Lisbet says, finally reaching out and curling her fingers around the cut crystal. She closes her eyes and sighs in resignation. “Stupid,  _stupid_  bet.”

Lisbet takes one last deep breath before raising the glass and knocking back the moonshine. Immediately her face screws up in pain and she doubles over, one hand over her mouth as she violently coughs and hacks and gasps for air, the other hand slamming the glass back down onto the table with a loud resounding  _thunk!_

Her four observers throw their hands in the air, shouting with joy.

“Yes!” shout Ubbe and Hvitserk at Lisbet. Her eyes are red and watering and she pats her pockets in vain looking for a handkerchief until Floki takes pity on her and passes her his own.

“ _That’s my_ ** _girl_** _!_ ” Ivar yells at the top of his lungs. “Hviserk - go get her a Coke.  _Go get her a Coke!_ ” Ivar shoves at his older brother, and Hvitserk nearly falls out of his seat before he gets up and dashes out the door. Ivar turns to Lisbet next, and stretches his hands out to her, but she’s still too caught up in the burn of the moonshine to notice him. “Lisbet!” he calls, beckoning to her. “Come ‘ere, come ‘ere, come ‘ere!”

Lisbet, wheezing, glares at him through narrowed, watering eyes, but she does stand up and make her way around the table to him. Ivar takes her hand as soon as she’s close enough and pulls her to sit in his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Ah, you did so good Chickadee!”

“Yes, nicely done Ms. Lisbet.” Floki adds as Hvitserk dashes back in carrying a frosty Coke. He passes is to Ivar, who immediately raises it to Lisbet’s lips.

“Here darlin’, drink this - it’ll help.” Lisbet takes the bottle from him and drains half of it in one long pull. As she lowers it, she’s finally able to take her first steady breath since the taste of apples and fire invaded her throat.

“There, see?” Ivar says, rubbling his hands up and down her arms. “That wasn’t too bad, now was it?”

“Never again Ivar.”

“Oh but Lisbet—”

“ _Never_  again.”


End file.
